VET (Vocational Education and Training)

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is designed to expand opportunities and pathways for senior secondary students and improve educational outcomes in line with the Victorian Government’s objective to increase the number of young people completing Year 12 or equivalent. VET also addresses the skills and employment needs of industry in Victoria.

VET comprises nationally recognised VET certificates undertaken by secondary school students as part of their Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). VET provides a vocationally oriented program of studies leading to a senior secondary certificate. VET programs are typically delivered through partnership between schools, industry and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), and often include opportunities for students to participate in structured workplace learning.

Students enrolled in VET may also combine study and employment through School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships which allow students to do an apprenticeship or traineeship while they undertake their VCE or VCAL.

VCAL – VET programs contribute by providing credit towards the Work Related Skills and Industry Specific strands within the VCAL. One credit towards a VCAL learning program is awarded on successful completion of 90 nominal hours of accredited VET curriculum.

VCE – some VET programs are approved by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and can provide credit towards the student’s ATAR via either scored assessment or a 10% increment (see below).

Scored Assessment – courses that offer scored assessment will contribute directly to the student’s ATAR either as one of the primary four studies, or as a fifth or sixth study. Students undertaking scored assessment as part of their VET course will be assessed via school-assessed coursework and an end-of-year examination set by the VCAA. Students must be registered for scored assessment with their RTO.

10% Increment – where a VCAA approved course does not offer scored assessment but does include a Units 3 & 4 sequence, the student is eligible to receive an increment of 10% of their average primary four ATAR subject scores if they successfully complete the Units 3 & 4 sequence.

Block Credit Recognition – For VET courses not approved by the VCAA, students will be eligible for credit towards their VCE for successful completion of units of competency/modules within their VET subject.For every90 nominal hours of study completed, students will be eligible for a unit of credit at: